Olive Overload.

On Friday, our morning lecture was amongst the olive trees. We met with the main researcher at IFAPA Centro, "Alameda del Obispo," professor Juan Manuel Caballero.  He quite possibly knows everything there is to know about olives and olive trees. The research center is focused on improving agricultural systems in Andalusia and the olive cultivation department, with their 272 different varieties of olive trees, tries to save materials and not lose genetic information for the future. They study the fruit's characterisitcs like pulp ratio, stone sizes, oil contents, acid compositions; they evaluate production depending on irrigation systems, climate conditions, and different varieties requiring different years to produce different yields; and they measure canopy volumes and external surfaces (within the cultivation density) to compare with age (years since trees were planted) and production age (maturation time). Really. Everything about olives and olive trees.

Despite our lessons standing in the shade of the silver and green glistening leaves of the olive trees with the Spanish sun penetrating through to slowly warm us from the morning cold, and despite our lengthy lectures on olive oil from the incredibly knowledgable Bosticcio prior to our trip, I still find myself staring at the innumerable different types and brands of olive oil when I am in the store. In any grocery store there is an array of olive oils to choose from: Spanish. Italian. Greek. Organic. Store-brand. Plastic jug. Glass bottle. Clear. Green. Tin-foil wrapped. Olive oil. Virgin. Extra virgin. Price variances. Quality control. How do you know which one to purchase? How have I learned so much and feel like I know nothing? It makes me feel overwhelmed and my mind goes completely blank as I stare at rows and rows of bottles. So, in an effort to put it all together, here is my breakdown of the fruity olive and it's delicious oil.

Buying Olive Oil:

The price variation is caused by years of charge (good) and discharge (bad). A good year has low prices because there is a lot of oil produced.  The law (of olive oil making) does not forbid blending differnet harvest years. Usually though companies will buy the oils to blend, rather than blending the olives themselves and in this sense, olive oil is not a seasonal product and is available year-round. Blended harvests are not a crime, therefore, but also is not a sign of top quality olive oil. Although it is rare to find, look for the origin and the harvest year presented on the label: it is a good sign of a good quality olive oil.

An olive is 48% water, 21% oil. The flesh, or pulp, contains a lot of fat so it is easier to press and extract the fatty oil more so than the oil from non-juicy nuts and seeds which require higher temperatures and chemicals to extract. It is possible to get virgin peanut oil, for example, but it is costly. Avocado, on the other hand, has a lot of pulp so its fatty oil is easily extracted and is very purely aromatic. Industrial blends of olive oils could possibly include a mix of sesame, nut, sunflower, and other olive oils. Look out for generic oils which will not specify what's included in the ingredients. Although not a bad addition, sometimes leaves are added to the oil to increase the aroma.

When looking at the colour of the olive oil, it depends on the variety of olives used and the timing on when they were picked - either unripe, ripe or even overripe. The oil turns more yellow over time whereas an oil that is more green reveals it is younger and more recently made. In contrast to the oil colour, the actual olive fruit will be pale when unripe and become darker with time. The colour of an olive oil does not determine if it is extra virgin or not - it is quality that matters. Extra virgin olive oil is 99% fat and it is the 1% difference that makes a generic vs good olive oil. Even amongst the good ones, that 1% determines which ones are more bitter, more fruity or various characteristics. 

The quality of olive oil depends on the ripeness of the fruit. As the olive grows, the sugar decreases over time and simultaneously the amount of oil increases. It is important then, to pick the olive at the optimal time of ripeness which will impact the different flavours. The amount of fiber and protein are relatively constant but will also decrease with time. Because of this, olives that are picked in November are generally ideal for extra virgin olive oils. 

The price of olive oil could depend on how the olives are picked. Olives can be hand picked which decreases the amount of damage to the oil, but this method is time and labour intensive. Another way would be to sit down and wait for the olives to join you.  This involves no labour, but there is potential for fruit damage from the fall, a possibility of bugs infecting the fruit, and fallen fruits could mean they are overripened. Nets are often used to catch fallen olives - either falling naturally or from vibrating machines. Production- and economically-wise, it is more advantageous to grow olives in Spain because in Italy, the trees are mostly on hills and do not have the easy-picking mechanism and processes. Storing the olives is also important as piles of olives on top of each other could cause pressure damage and heat fermentation so usually olives are stored and distributed among small bags. The best olive oil is from olives that are clean, undamaged, bug-less and have had no fermentation.

Generic olive oil, as opposed to extra virgin, is close to vegetable oil. It is chemically processed whereas extra virgin is made through a mechanical process. There are various reason why an olive oil is classified as generic rather than extra virgin. It could indicate the quality of the olives or the amount of time before processing. When it is not good enough to be extra virgin, the olive oil can be refined, adjusted or modified. This process takes places because otherwise, throwing out the olive oil when it could be "fixed" would be wasteful. unsustainable! This type of olive oil can be alcalized (adjusted acidity) or deautorated (taking the bad oudours with air.) Buying olive oil with infused flavours would most likely be refined olive oil because one wouldn't waste/ruin the naturally good flavours and aromas of extra virgin olive oil. 

the main test of olive oils is the acidity. extra virgin olive oil must be less than 0. this test however is not preformed in the mouth, but in a chemical analysis. 

extra virgin: < 0.8% acidity

virgin: 0.8% < X  >2.0%

lampante: >2.0% - send to the refinery

100 kilogram of olives = 15-23 kilograms of oil

One should think of the quality of the olives in olive oil the same as the quality and variety of grapes in wine. Olive oil doesn't require the same aging process - there is no reason to keep it in storage: it can be sold immediately. If one is concerned with filtered vs unfiltered olive oils, the difference is: filtered has the extracted pit/fiber/excess so it changes the way that it looks for the consumer and is better for storage, but also will find its own faults over time. 

Storing Olive Oil:

Olive oil doesn't age well because it is a delicate fruit, like any other, that loses quality over time. It will change flavour and colour so consider the age and the length of time that the olive oil is kept. Light though, is the main enemy which is why there is a difference between clear and dark glass bottles. Buying metal or aluminum tins are even better. Plastic bottles may be cheaper for the pocket but not necessarily the greatest for quality. The best olive oils are sold in small bottles because olive oil is meant to be finished relatively soon with the least amount of exposure to oxygen (which occurs every time it is opened and poured). The ideal storing temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. These details are all important to consider in the buying too because a producer with a good-quality product will be concerned with its packaging in regards to storing. 

Using Olive Oil:

Extra virgin olive oil should be used for cooked or ready to eat items - not to cook with. It is a waste of money because many of the fats, aromas, and the essential compounds are lost during cooking. 

Tasting Olive Oil:

The temperature of the olive oil should be more than room temperature - around 26-28 degrees Celsius. Aroma compounds are volatile so they are copious when warmer. This can be achieved by putting the tasting cup in the palm of the hand, covering the lid, and rubbing the bottom slightly. Olive oil is technically a fruit juice so it should remind the taster of fresh fruit. There is no fermentation, no chemical additives, no high temperatures used so the aromas should be fruity. Olive oils evoke less of a range of aromas than found in the wine wheel, which isn't to say it isn't complex. When tasting different olive oils, an apple is recommended by official tasting sesssions because of its sour and natural acidity: a granny smith apple specifically is preferred because of its typically high content of mallic acid. A tasting session should never have more than 8 oils. 

the olive is a symbol of peace and happiness.